Truck driver repeatedly sabotaged ancient city gates in Hegnchun fined 恆春古城四城門列國定古蹟  近年屢遭撞

County government says they are poised to set up warning signs and protective measures.

Presenter:The four gates of Hengchun Historical City are national historic monuments that have suffered multiple incidents of damage in recent years. Several days ago, Hengchun police got a report about the North Gate being hit by a truck. The driver faces penalties under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act.

This truck driver is heading towards Hengchun Historical City's North Gate, a national historical monument. Shortly afterwards, Hengchun police get a report that a truck had hit the North Gate.

The driver fled the scene, but police were able to identify him with CCTV footage.

Chen Hsin-hao, 4th Corps Chief, Pingtung County Police Bureau Hengchun Precinct:”Although the gate is open to vehicular traffic, vehicles over 2.1 meters high are banned from using it. The top of the vehicle hit the top of the gate. When he couldn't get through, he put his truck in reverse and fled the scene.”

The driver, surnamed Chen, has been involved in three accidents recently. He faces penalties for damage to the gate under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act.

Given how often the gates seem to get struck by vehicles, officials are consulting with experts on an improvement plan.

Lin Bin-yao, Deputy Director of Monuments and Settlements, Bureau of Cultural Heritage:”We will be implementing signage and speed limits. Everything is ready and will be set up before the end of the year.”

The Pingtung County Cultural Affairs Bureau says damaging historical monuments is punishable by six months to five years in prison along with a fine of NT$500,000 to NT$20 million. It is calling on road users to pay attention to vehicle height and show respect to historical monuments.

畫面中，一台貨車快速經過環城北路跟恆北路口，往國定古蹟恆春古城北門方向開去，沒過多久恆春分局就接到通報，有貨車衝撞古城北門，警方到現場時貨車已經離開，擴大調閱路口監視器後，抓到肇事的陳姓貨運司機。

屏縣警恆春分局第四組長 陳信豪：「北門雖然可以通行汽車，但有車高2.1M限制及警告標示，該車因車身過高自撞城門後，無法通行便倒車離開現場。」

這是陳姓司機最近第三次肇事，他8號送貨時，貨車也曾卡在恆春分局側門；這次撞北門，則把北門撞得掉落一地碎磚，警方依肇事逃逸通知他到案說明，被撞壞的部分也將依文資法究責。而古蹟城門常常被撞，相關單位也找來專家擬定改善計畫。

文化部文資局古蹟聚落組副組長 林炳耀：「防撞的設備設置，在城門的進出從哪裡開始要指標到哪裡要減速，這些號誌目前是已經規劃好，設計也設計好，但是還沒有施作。那施作在年底以前。」

屏東文化處強調，損毀古蹟依文資法，可處6個月到5年有期徒刑，得併科50萬到2千萬罰金，提醒用路人經過城門一定要注意車輛高度，尊重並小心維護古蹟的完整性。